After the Clouds
Author's Note: This story takes place after the death of King Elessar Telcontar I. The main character is his son Eldarion, metioned in the Appendixes of the Lord of the Rings. Please, my friends, feel free to comment any errors you may find, be they in Sindarin, or simply in my geographical senses, and they will be corrected. Creative input is very much welcome.
I've also heard that Tolkien mentions Elboron as the name of the son of Faramir and Eowyn. I don't know where precisely this was mentioned, but believe my sources (there are many of them) and would appreciate if someone could remind me where this was stated - I'd like to read it.
CHAPTER ONE
"This is certainly not the first place I would have expected to find you."
He caught me unawares, and I jumped - despite all my father's teachings, Elboron had always been able to sneak past me. My nerves were not what they used to be, in any case.
I sighed his name, relieved and at the same time unsurprised that he was the one to have found me. The guards, after all, had been searching for some time - I had heard their shouts.
"Aye, here I am," he said simply, his face graven with obvious concern.
I tried to put it off right away - the last thing I wanted was an emotional talk with the best of my friends, and numerous reminders from a man two years my elder who looked like much more - reminders that I had known these things would happen.
"Things are well in South Ithilien, I assume? Otherwise, I suppose, you'd not have made the venture here."
"Prince Legolas is there," he responded, looking around the dark room, "building a ship. I left it in his keeping for a few days."
"Why? Elboron, you know his mind is otherwise occupied."
"I have men there to help him, Imellon nin/I. They will be fine without me. And after he leaves, there are others to take over, if I have not returned by then."
"You had best be back by then. I'd not want you to return to ruins."
"Nothing will happen, Eldarion. It's perfectly fine. There's been no sign of danger since we were toddlers, you know that. The Great Peace - it is aptly the name of our time. We are destined to live a simple life of luxury, not a life of fight and flight as our fathers."
I swallowed and nodded. Elboron's face fell. "My apologies, Eldarion. I - I hadn't realized you remained in mourning."
"It has only been two weeks," I whispered.
We said the next together. "But it has felt like an eternity." And Elboron gave a sad little laugh. "How far away our childhoods seem - mine to me more than yours to you, I should think."
"Speak more plainly. What do you mean?"
"Only that -" Elboron began falteringly, "- that your future stretches farther than mine." And at the stubborn look on my face, he continued angrily. "You know what I mean, Your Majesty."
I stood now, a fire burning in my blood. "Don't call me that!" I cried out at him. He only stared at me with sad eyes and I sat again. "I cannot bear it yet, Elboron. My father thought me ready for this, but my mind reels still. I have not the ability to understand what has happened to me."
"How do your sisters fare?" he asked softly.
"Ah," I said, almost wishing to smile. "Better than I, I suppose. None of them had seen it coming, but they followed more in their ways after Mother. They, I believe, have more Elven in them than I. They handle calmly, as they should, mourning in their own silences, instead of like a child as I do, shaming me without intention to do so."
"There is nothing to be ashamed of," Elboron sighed.
"I am their elder, trained all of my life to fulfill my destiny that now lies perhaps at hand! Better than this is expected of me!"
"I am glad I have come," he said, his face now stony. "Admit it or not, Eldarion, but you have been hiding from more than your guards."
"I don't want a bodyguard following me wherever I go."
"But as the King it is their duty to protect you."
"You said it yourself, Elboron - there's been no sign of danger for years upon years. All I want is a life - a life as I used to have. The life I've always known."
"You can't get it back." I turned away from him sharply, trying to deny his words but knowing, of course, knowing that all they held was the truth. "You can't get them back, Eldarion."
"I know, even if I wish I did not. No, any hope of Mother staying after Father died left me when I saw him on his deathbed."
There was a long silence. I could tell that Elboron wanted to say something...but he changed it, casting about for a new subject. "Has Elfwine written?"
"I got a letter from him yesterday, yes. He sent his sympathies, which I have no use for, and said he would come along as soon as he could. Similarly, that does me nothing for the moment save expect his arrival in a week or two, and look forward to seeing him again."
"What it does is set in stone our plans," Elboron said, as if I already should know what he was talking about.
"Do I want to know what nonsense you're on about this time?"
"Probably not," Elboron laughed. "You'll find out soon enough."
And I did, of course. I know Elboron very well, and managed to get his weak spot, convincing him to tell me within a matter of minutes.
* * *
"But that simply isn't possible!"
"Why?" Always he challenged me - but I was certain he had known already it was inconceivable. To leave Minas Tirith just now, to go off North on some mad quest - I was solemly convinced that he was merely being facetious.
"I am two weeks into my kingship -"
"And already hating it."
"I cannot leave so soon! I have yet to learn the ways of the ruling, yet to make a single important decision - and yet to learn who I do and do not trust!"
"You trust Ime/I, don't you?"
"When you make sense!"
"And what you're saying is that I am not now! And I can hardly leave you here to rule if you are leading me on some wild goose chase."
"It is hardly a goose chase!"
"Aye, but it is. And ridiculous to boot! Are you suggesting that Elfwine and I both leave and go on a merry little holiday for a month or two?"
"And I as well."
"Elboron, you know what you ask and you know that it is not possible!"
"Aye, but then why would I waste my breath on it?"
"You truly must jest."
"No. I mean it, Eldarion. Leave one of your sisters in your stead -"
"My sisters," I moaned. "You've gone mad, that's it! Simply and purely mad!"
"Madness is devoid of purity and simplicity. It is complicated and dark, and why I ask you to do this is that I wish you not to fall victim to madness!"
"Oh, now I know you jest! Suggestions of madness, that I should follow to keep me from it? Elboron, have you lost your mind?"
"I have not."
"Then you had none to lose, and have no more now!"
"Do not take this as merriment, Eldarion. I am serious. I believe you should do this, for your own health. Not now, certainly. Wait a week, or perhaps two, however long it takes for Elfwine to get here and for us to prepare following that. Does it not sound like fun? Is it not something you would have been ready to do three weeks ago?"
"Three weeks ago, I was not solely responsible for the care and keeping of Gondor and Arnor," I said seriously, beginning to realize that he was not joking. "Elfwine would never agree. You will see."
"As a matter of fact," Elboron said, with a smile I did not like, "it was he who suggested it."
This was the last straw, and convinced me that one of several things was happening. Either Elboron had, really and truly gone mad, or he was drunken, or jesting wonderfully and horribly at the same time, or I was dreaming, or -
Or he was serious, sane, sober, and I was awake, and it was, perhaps, actually not so bad an idea.
Author's Note: This story takes place after the death of King Elessar Telcontar I. The main character is his son Eldarion, metioned in the Appendixes of the Lord of the Rings. Please, my friends, feel free to comment any errors you may find, be they in Sindarin, or simply in my geographical senses, and they will be corrected. Creative input is very much welcome.
I've also heard that Tolkien mentions Elboron as the name of the son of Faramir and Eowyn. I don't know where precisely this was mentioned, but believe my sources (there are many of them) and would appreciate if someone could remind me where this was stated - I'd like to read it.
CHAPTER ONE
"This is certainly not the first place I would have expected to find you."
He caught me unawares, and I jumped - despite all my father's teachings, Elboron had always been able to sneak past me. My nerves were not what they used to be, in any case.
I sighed his name, relieved and at the same time unsurprised that he was the one to have found me. The guards, after all, had been searching for some time - I had heard their shouts.
"Aye, here I am," he said simply, his face graven with obvious concern.
I tried to put it off right away - the last thing I wanted was an emotional talk with the best of my friends, and numerous reminders from a man two years my elder who looked like much more - reminders that I had known these things would happen.
"Things are well in South Ithilien, I assume? Otherwise, I suppose, you'd not have made the venture here."
"Prince Legolas is there," he responded, looking around the dark room, "building a ship. I left it in his keeping for a few days."
"Why? Elboron, you know his mind is otherwise occupied."
"I have men there to help him, Imellon nin/I. They will be fine without me. And after he leaves, there are others to take over, if I have not returned by then."
"You had best be back by then. I'd not want you to return to ruins."
"Nothing will happen, Eldarion. It's perfectly fine. There's been no sign of danger since we were toddlers, you know that. The Great Peace - it is aptly the name of our time. We are destined to live a simple life of luxury, not a life of fight and flight as our fathers."
I swallowed and nodded. Elboron's face fell. "My apologies, Eldarion. I - I hadn't realized you remained in mourning."
"It has only been two weeks," I whispered.
We said the next together. "But it has felt like an eternity." And Elboron gave a sad little laugh. "How far away our childhoods seem - mine to me more than yours to you, I should think."
"Speak more plainly. What do you mean?"
"Only that -" Elboron began falteringly, "- that your future stretches farther than mine." And at the stubborn look on my face, he continued angrily. "You know what I mean, Your Majesty."
I stood now, a fire burning in my blood. "Don't call me that!" I cried out at him. He only stared at me with sad eyes and I sat again. "I cannot bear it yet, Elboron. My father thought me ready for this, but my mind reels still. I have not the ability to understand what has happened to me."
"How do your sisters fare?" he asked softly.
"Ah," I said, almost wishing to smile. "Better than I, I suppose. None of them had seen it coming, but they followed more in their ways after Mother. They, I believe, have more Elven in them than I. They handle calmly, as they should, mourning in their own silences, instead of like a child as I do, shaming me without intention to do so."
"There is nothing to be ashamed of," Elboron sighed.
"I am their elder, trained all of my life to fulfill my destiny that now lies perhaps at hand! Better than this is expected of me!"
"I am glad I have come," he said, his face now stony. "Admit it or not, Eldarion, but you have been hiding from more than your guards."
"I don't want a bodyguard following me wherever I go."
"But as the King it is their duty to protect you."
"You said it yourself, Elboron - there's been no sign of danger for years upon years. All I want is a life - a life as I used to have. The life I've always known."
"You can't get it back." I turned away from him sharply, trying to deny his words but knowing, of course, knowing that all they held was the truth. "You can't get them back, Eldarion."
"I know, even if I wish I did not. No, any hope of Mother staying after Father died left me when I saw him on his deathbed."
There was a long silence. I could tell that Elboron wanted to say something...but he changed it, casting about for a new subject. "Has Elfwine written?"
"I got a letter from him yesterday, yes. He sent his sympathies, which I have no use for, and said he would come along as soon as he could. Similarly, that does me nothing for the moment save expect his arrival in a week or two, and look forward to seeing him again."
"What it does is set in stone our plans," Elboron said, as if I already should know what he was talking about.
"Do I want to know what nonsense you're on about this time?"
"Probably not," Elboron laughed. "You'll find out soon enough."
And I did, of course. I know Elboron very well, and managed to get his weak spot, convincing him to tell me within a matter of minutes.
* * *
"But that simply isn't possible!"
"Why?" Always he challenged me - but I was certain he had known already it was inconceivable. To leave Minas Tirith just now, to go off North on some mad quest - I was solemly convinced that he was merely being facetious.
"I am two weeks into my kingship -"
"And already hating it."
"I cannot leave so soon! I have yet to learn the ways of the ruling, yet to make a single important decision - and yet to learn who I do and do not trust!"
"You trust Ime/I, don't you?"
"When you make sense!"
"And what you're saying is that I am not now! And I can hardly leave you here to rule if you are leading me on some wild goose chase."
"It is hardly a goose chase!"
"Aye, but it is. And ridiculous to boot! Are you suggesting that Elfwine and I both leave and go on a merry little holiday for a month or two?"
"And I as well."
"Elboron, you know what you ask and you know that it is not possible!"
"Aye, but then why would I waste my breath on it?"
"You truly must jest."
"No. I mean it, Eldarion. Leave one of your sisters in your stead -"
"My sisters," I moaned. "You've gone mad, that's it! Simply and purely mad!"
"Madness is devoid of purity and simplicity. It is complicated and dark, and why I ask you to do this is that I wish you not to fall victim to madness!"
"Oh, now I know you jest! Suggestions of madness, that I should follow to keep me from it? Elboron, have you lost your mind?"
"I have not."
"Then you had none to lose, and have no more now!"
"Do not take this as merriment, Eldarion. I am serious. I believe you should do this, for your own health. Not now, certainly. Wait a week, or perhaps two, however long it takes for Elfwine to get here and for us to prepare following that. Does it not sound like fun? Is it not something you would have been ready to do three weeks ago?"
"Three weeks ago, I was not solely responsible for the care and keeping of Gondor and Arnor," I said seriously, beginning to realize that he was not joking. "Elfwine would never agree. You will see."
"As a matter of fact," Elboron said, with a smile I did not like, "it was he who suggested it."
This was the last straw, and convinced me that one of several things was happening. Either Elboron had, really and truly gone mad, or he was drunken, or jesting wonderfully and horribly at the same time, or I was dreaming, or -
Or he was serious, sane, sober, and I was awake, and it was, perhaps, actually not so bad an idea.